A transportation vehicle, a traffic control entity, a method, a computer program, and an apparatus for determining a minimum inter-vehicular distance for a platoon. The method for determining a minimum inter-vehicular distance for a platoon of transportation vehicles obtains information related to a predicted quality of service (pQoS) of communication links between the transportation vehicles of the platoon; a speed of the transportation vehicles of the platoon; and one or more maximum decelerations of the transportation vehicles of the platoon. The method also uses a functional relationship between the pQoS, the speed, the one or more maximum decelerations, and an inter-vehicular distance to determine the minimum inter-vehicular distance.

In various examples, a current claimed set of points representative of a volume in an environment occupied by a vehicle at a time may be determined. A vehicle-occupied trajectory and at least one object-occupied trajectory may be generated at the time. An intersection between the vehicle-occupied trajectory and an object-occupied trajectory may be determined based at least in part on comparing the vehicle-occupied trajectory to the object-occupied trajectory. Based on the intersection, the vehicle may then execute the first safety procedure or an alternative procedure that, when implemented by the vehicle when the object implements the second safety procedure, is determined to have a lesser likelihood of incurring a collision between the vehicle and the object than the first safety procedure.

There is provided a driver-support system for use with a human-operated material-transport vehicle, and methods for using the same. The system has at least one sensor, a human-vehicle interface, and a transceiver for communicating with a fleet-management system. The system also has a processor that is configured to provide a mapping application and a localization application based on information received from the sensor. The mapping application and localization application may be provided in a single localization-and-mapping (SLAM) application, which may obtain input from the sensor, for example, when the sensor is an optical sensor such as a LiDAR or video camera.

Methods and systems for assessing, detecting, and responding to malfunctions involving components of autonomous vehicles and/or smart homes are described herein. Autonomous operation features and related components can be assessed using direct or indirect data regarding operation. Vehicle collision and/or smart home incident monitoring, damage detection, and responses are also described, with particular focus on the particular challenges associated with incident response for unoccupied vehicles and/or smart homes. Operating data associated with the autonomous vehicle and/or smart home may be received. Within the operating, an unusual condition indicative of a likelihood of incident may be detected. Based on the unusual condition, it may be determined that the incident occurred. Accordingly, a response to the incident may be determined. The response may be implemented by the autonomous vehicle and/or smart home.

Methods and systems for communicating between autonomous vehicles are described herein. Such communication may be performed for signaling, collision avoidance, path coordination, and/or autonomous control. A first autonomous vehicle may receive a communication from a second autonomous vehicle travelling on the same road as the first autonomous vehicle, where the communication includes an indication of a maneuver which will be performed by the second autonomous vehicle. The first autonomous vehicle may then analyze the communication to identify a first maneuver for the first autonomous vehicle in response to the second maneuver performed by the second autonomous vehicle. Thus, the first autonomous vehicle may move in accordance with the first maneuver.

Methods and systems for autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle routing are disclosed. Roadway suitability for autonomous operation is scored to facilitate use in route determination. Maps of roadways suitable for various levels of autonomous operation may be generated. Such map data may be used by autonomous vehicles or other computer devices in determining routes based upon criteria for vehicle trips. Such routes may be automatically updated based upon changes in road conditions, vehicle conditions, operator conditions, or environmental conditions. Emergency routing using such map data is described, such as automatic routing and travel when a passenger is experiencing a medical emergency.

Methods and systems autonomously parking and retrieving vehicles are disclosed. Available parking spaces or parking facilities may be identified, and the vehicle may be navigated to an available space from a drop-off location without passengers. Special-purpose sensors, GPS data, or wireless signal triangulation may be used to identify vehicles and available parking spots. Upon a user request or a prediction of upcoming user demand, the vehicle may be retrieved autonomously from a parking space. Other vehicles may be autonomously moved to facilitate parking or retrieval.

It is intended to allow an orientation of a mobile device observed in imaging data to be more appropriately specified. There is provided an information processing device (100) including an acquisition unit (111c) that acquires the imaging data and a direction specification unit (111c) that analyzes the imaging data to specify the orientation of the mobile device observed in the imaging data.

An identification method and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detection apparatus are provided. The identification method, as a method for preventing a collision that may occur in a process of detecting and identifying a plurality of UAVs flying in the air, detects a plurality of UAVs in the air and determines a legitimacy of flight of each of the plurality of UAVs using an identification information request message.

A server device includes an area setting unit that sets a first area in which a first lawnmower executes first lawn-mowing work in a work area and a second area in which a second lawnmower second lawn-mowing work in the work area, a zone dividing unit that divides the work area into plural virtual zones, a time range setting unit that sets a first time range in which the first lawnmower executes the first lawn-mowing work in each of the virtual zones included in the plural virtual zones and a second time range in which the second lawnmower executes the second lawn-mowing work in each of the virtual zones included in the plural virtual zones, and a notification unit that notifies the first time range and the second time range to a smartphone. Consequently, a user can check a possibilty of contact between the first and second lawnmowers.